Contents

History

Unquendor was founded in 1981, on the birthday of Frodo and Bilbo, September 22th, after the example of the British Tolkien Society. It steadily grew up to its current member count of about 280 people from all over the Dutch-speaking world, though Flanders has its own Society, Elanor, and South Africa, which had its now dormant Haradrim, is usually considered under the influence of the English Tolkien Society.

Gatherings

Unquendor organises a number of big events throughout the Netherlands, like the "Joelfeest" (Yule party, December), Tolkien day (with AGM, close to September 22th), "Slotfeest" (Castle/End (of year) Feast (same word for these in Dutch), June), "3-januari-diner" (Tolkien Birthday Diner, January 3rd) and "Tolkien Leesdag" (Tolkien Reading Day, close to March 25th). It also offers more regular meetings organised by its members throughout the Netherlands, called Herbergen ("Inns"), but are akin to the Tolkien Society's Smials. These monthly to half-yearly meetings, of which Unquendor currently has about ten, are usually frequented by about eight people who then talk about Tolkien or Unquendor related issues.

Publications

Unquendor also publishes the five-a-year magazine 'Lembas', in which the accounts of meetings and announcements for them are made known, but it includes Ardalogical and Tolkienistical essays as well, all of which are written by members of Unquendor. Unquendor also publishes an extra book each year, called the Lembas Extra, in which all kinds of Tolkienological and Ardalogical articles, all in English, are published.

Etymology

Unquendor is neo-Quenya for "Hollow Land", and is a translation of the often perceived etymology of Holland, "Hollow land". The correct etymology is of Holland, however, "Wooded land". "Hollow land" does apply to Holland in Lincolnshire, UK.